>> RELATED: Death toll rises from Mexico earthquake
Mexico is known for a lot of seismic activity because it is located on top of three large tectonic plates; the Northern American Plate, the Cocos Plate and the Pacific Plate, said Storm Center 7 Meteorologist Kirstie Zontini.
>> RELATED: Rescuers wriggle into collapsed school after Mexico quake
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Cocos plate subducts, or sinks, underneath Central America about 300km southwest of where the earthquake occurred.